Jesse Jacobs works from his home in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. A combination of intricate linework and bold colour palettes has defined his practice, which began in comics but has expanded, in recent years, into fine art, illustration, and animation.

Jacobs’ graphic novels have been translated into a number of languages. His work has been exhibited throughout Canada, the US, Japan, Russia, Germany, and Switzerland. Selections of his books have appeared in Best American Comics (published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) in 2012, 2013, and 2015. His illustration work has appeared in The New York Times, Mad Magazine, The National Post, Le Monde Diplomatique, Pitchfork Review, The Walrus, and The New Yorker website.

Riccardo Mannelli, cartoonist and illustrator, was born in Pistoia (1955) and lives in Rome since 1977.
The protagonist of the major European satirical journals since 1975, some of which directs or participates in the foundation (Evil, Boxer, The Heart). Riccardo Mannelli, has partnered with comic magazines such as Linus and Alter Linus, and built reports designed for L’Europeo, La Stampa, Il Messaggero and Il Manifesto. He works for The Republic and The Daily and other newspapers, including foreign companies.
He had also developed a personal artistic research, documented in numerous exhibitions and catalogs, among whose outcomes: the pictorial cycle of sixty works Comedy in Z.E.R.O .; the virtual altar frieze projected Pacis Apotheosis of corrupt, that gave birth to the eponymous illustrated book; with Jan Saudek Tender Barbarians. In 2011 he was invited to the 54th Venice Biennale, Italian Pavilion and in the context of the shows d ‘Art at the 54 Festival Dei Due Mondi in Spoleto.
Riccardo Mannelli, teaches at the European Institute of Design where he coordinates the illustration department.

Andrea Casciu
Born in 1983, Andrea Casciu graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Sassari. Lives and works in Bologna.
Through the survey of small mutations that time work on the body, Andrea Casciu deepens introspective analysis mediated design, studying the relationship of man with his own image. Deftly maneuvering in the action space of the self, the artist unleashes a dual trigger empathetic. In his works transpires the desire to empathize, to enter, but always on tiptoe, in the innermost core of the people. At the same time, each person can perceive themselves in the iconic faces he paints, in a game that challenges fades general anesthesia in the world in which we live. Changes in Andrea’s face, appearing in the streets, pushing us to consider its murals as if they were mirrors, to confront our own reflection, but also with that of a planetary ego, shared and expanded. A subversion of everyday life addressed in an ironic way, the thin line that separates the individual and the multitude.[Testo di Antonella Perazza]

The fourth edition of Ratatà Festival, Maceratese event dedicated to contemporary drawing in all its forms, from comics to illustration, through independent publishing up to urban art, comes in a period more than ever intense and turbulent both for our region and for the people who are behind the organization.

The relationship with a territory oppressed by violent seismic events and the difficulty in the reconstruction, a social reality wounded in its intentions, as well as personal trouble that these events have led to our own lives, made us often think whether start also this year, the arduous but extremely rewarding series of meetings, arguments, thoughts, projects that are the invisible but fundamental backbone of Ratatà.

At the end, the main theme of this edition it was just the desire for personal rebirth joined to the need for local cultural renaissance, through exhibitions that have a direct link with this topic and the creation of an increasingly dense network with the cultural, political, social driving forces that have always animated our social fabric.

Also this year, a crowdfunding campaign has been activated to raise the necessary funds so that the festival could exist: the festival is almost entirely self-funded, all funding we receive are used to pay for outfitting expenses, reimburse artists’ travels, handle communication and increase more and more the cultural program of the festival itself.

CALL FOR EXHIBITORS

If you would like to participate as an exhibitor at the Exhibition/Market for Ratatà 2017 (which will be held from Friday, April 21-at 14 pm-until Sunday, April 23-at 17 pm) send an email at ratatafestival@gmail.com with subject “CALL FOR EXHIBITORS 2017” by March 15, indicating your website and some images of your self-publishing!

CALL FOR ARTIST

The Ratatà fanzine 2017 will be on creating an independent video-game, coming soon on-line all the details to participate!

DEADLINE March 26th 2017

CALL FOR SELF PUBLISHING

This year, Ratatà will select the best self publishing made from October 2016!

It is open to artists, collectives, independent publishers which have produced a new paper self-publishing (book, comics, graphic novels, slipcase, fanzines, folder etc ..) after date 30.09.2016, using any technique and with maximum print run of 300 pieces. Ratata will select the two most interesting projects and will promote them during the festival with a space within the Exhibition/Market, an official presentation and a small dedicated exhibition.

Ratata will purchase from 5 to 10 copies of the two selected editions to insert them within their own bookshop and send them as rewards to the greater ULULE supporters!

To participate, send an email at ratatafestival@gmail.com with subject “CALL FOR SELF PUBLISHING 2017” by March 15, indicating the website, the production date, a brief description and some images of the project!